Chaos Genestealer Cults?

[Moonreaper666]

I wonder what would be the best way to introduce them to the lore and the tabletop. How to make them different from the normal Genestealer Cult and other Chaos subfactions?

[Dr_Ruminahui]

I think that rules wise the regular genestealer cults rules would work, you would just need to "reskin" some of the models (for example, genestealers could be demons).

 

As for models, I've gone the other direction, turning genestealer cultists into chaos cultists - however, what I did (http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/346143-the-judgment-on-kadeth-dr-ruminahuis-emperors-children/?p=5247463) might still be helpful in chaosifying your own genestealer units.

[PeteySödes]

Interestingly it's an idea thats been explored actually!

 

 

I think the only limit as to the how is your imagination! 

[RolandTHTG]

N1SB added some more early pictures in this thread in the Genestealer Cult forum: http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/354546-n1sb-labs-restored-1st-ed-40k-genestealer-art-retrospective/

Kierdale played around with modeling it for a diorama in these threads:

WIP http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/349161-khornate-cult-for-aop-sanctus-complete/

Completed: http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359090-aop2019-mentor-legion-vs-khornate-genestealer-cult-gold/

[Ficinus]

This is basically the army I'm working on right now: a mutant uprising with chaotic elements. Pretty much anything human-y is easy to reskin as Chaotic or mutant. The only models that are harder to represent are genestealers, metamorphs, and patriarchs, since they're much more alien. As the good doctor said above, daemonic or possessed elements could be used to represent them. I don't want to do that for my project, but it could work if done right.

[Slave to Darkness]

My Stealer Necromunda gang will eventually evolve into a Chaos Genestealer Cult. 

[Moonreaper666]

This is basically the army I'm working on right now: a mutant uprising with chaotic elements. Pretty much anything human-y is easy to reskin as Chaotic or mutant. The only models that are harder to represent are genestealers, metamorphs, and patriarchs, since they're much more alien. As the good doctor said above, daemonic or possessed elements could be used to represent them. I don't want to do that for my project, but it could work if done right.

Should CGS have access to Daemons, Possessed and Marks? What kind of Psyker powers should they have?

 

What relevance to the setting should they have?

[Ficinus]

Oh, I guess I am doing something slightly different, not Chaos Genestealer Cult, but Mutant rebellion/Chaos cult using GSC rules.

 

If you're doing a Chaos Genestealer Cult, I guess you probably should work out how it happened. Like, what caused the cult to become untethered to the Hive Mind and made it turn to the dark gods? What do they worship? How open are they in their chaos worship?

[RandyB]

Oh, I guess I am doing something slightly different, not Chaos Genestealer Cult, but Mutant rebellion/Chaos cult using GSC rules.

 

If you're doing a Chaos Genestealer Cult, I guess you probably should work out how it happened. Like, what caused the cult to become untethered to the Hive Mind and made it turn to the dark gods? What do they worship? How open are they in their chaos worship?

 

Untethered from the hive mind options:

- their associated hive fleet got destroyed, either enroute to the Milky Way or by one of the other galactic factions.

- their Patriarch was (nearly) killed and the rest of the cult survived.

- their Primus was sent to spread the cult and the ship had an accident in the Warp/attacked by Chaos

 

I have a Slaaneshi GSC idea knocking around in my head. Not the 1d4chan version, mind you, and I'm not linking to it, either. More the heavy metal mosh pit model. Complete with Noise Marine allies as the band.

[Moonreaper666]

 

 

Oh, I guess I am doing something slightly different, not Chaos Genestealer Cult, but Mutant rebellion/Chaos cult using GSC rules.

 

If you're doing a Chaos Genestealer Cult, I guess you probably should work out how it happened. Like, what caused the cult to become untethered to the Hive Mind and made it turn to the dark gods? What do they worship? How open are they in their chaos worship?

Untethered from the hive mind options:

- their associated hive fleet got destroyed, either enroute to the Milky Way or by one of the other galactic factions.

- their Patriarch was (nearly) killed and the rest of the cult survived.

- their Primus was sent to spread the cult and the ship had an accident in the Warp/attacked by Chaos

 

I have a Slaaneshi GSC idea knocking around in my head. Not the 1d4chan version, mind you, and I'm not linking to it, either. More the heavy metal mosh pit model. Complete with Noise Marine allies as the band.

In the lore, the third option did happen. There is one Nurgle-aligned CGSC. Don't why it hasn't been in a novel with the Death Watch

[RandyB]

 

 

 

Oh, I guess I am doing something slightly different, not Chaos Genestealer Cult, but Mutant rebellion/Chaos cult using GSC rules.

 

If you're doing a Chaos Genestealer Cult, I guess you probably should work out how it happened. Like, what caused the cult to become untethered to the Hive Mind and made it turn to the dark gods? What do they worship? How open are they in their chaos worship?

Untethered from the hive mind options:

- their associated hive fleet got destroyed, either enroute to the Milky Way or by one of the other galactic factions.

- their Patriarch was (nearly) killed and the rest of the cult survived.

- their Primus was sent to spread the cult and the ship had an accident in the Warp/attacked by Chaos

 

I have a Slaaneshi GSC idea knocking around in my head. Not the 1d4chan version, mind you, and I'm not linking to it, either. More the heavy metal mosh pit model. Complete with Noise Marine allies as the band.

In the lore, the third option did happen. There is one Nurgle-aligned CGSC. Don't why it hasn't been in a novel with the Death Watch

That's the one that was knocking around in my head. Thanks for pulling it all the way out! :)

[Child of Nurgle]

I’m planning on making a Cult Tenebrous (Nurgle worshiping Genestealer cult introduced in 7th edition) army sometime in the future.

[Dr. Clock]

Untethered from the hive mind options:

- their associated hive fleet got destroyed, either enroute to the Milky Way or by one of the other galactic factions.

- their Patriarch was (nearly) killed and the rest of the cult survived.

- their Primus was sent to spread the cult and the ship had an accident in the Warp/attacked by Chaos

 

 

1) Genestealers are 'vanguard organisms', they do not need or truly originate from the Hive Fleets, but are rather the ultimate infiltrators. In-game they have never needed Synapse creatures, but rather each one had its own 'mainline to the Hive Mind'. As such the first idea doesn't make a tonne of sense to me... The whole point of Genestealers is that they can operate completely independently from the Fleets.

 

2) Similarly, the death of a Patriarch just means that the next oldest purestrain takes their place...

 

3) Could happen!

 

Personally I prefer the idea that the Cult is in fact subverting/infiltrating an existing Chaos society/warband much like they do in Imperial societies... Basically that the 'Chaos comes first' and the Genecult is a later development. It could even come to pass that these 'new mutants' are tolerated or even favored as an elite core within a broader Heretic warband... and that a Chaos Champion or Lord deliberately fosters a Genecult because they are better at their jobs than unruly Chaotic humans and mutants.

 

In the end it would be pretty hard to tell whether the Cult was 'truly worshipping the Chaos Gods' or simply mimicking the society around them to appear more acceptable (lol), and I think that tension is pretty productive and cool : )

 

So, whereas Imperial Genecults are pretty much forced into concealing their presence until they can Overthrow the Oppressors, in Chaos societies they'd be able to be much more open about 'who they are', and have more nuanced alliances and relationships with other perhaps less-xeno-tainted factions on their world/ship/fleet etc.

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

Edited April 29, 2021 by Dr. Clock